Dragon's Challenge

by Jasmine Wylder

  “At least we know he’s alive,” Stephen replied grimly. “And hopefully the government won’t treat him as badly as Shane Carter did.”

  Maura nodded, even though she wasn’t certain how to respond to that. Sure, they could hope the government wouldn’t treat Evan so badly—wouldn’t hold him in a tiny cage, wouldn’t beat him up and starve him. But she wasn’t so certain. For them to put out information like this either meant that Shane had inside strings he could tug, or he’d convinced the governor that he had the blackmail material.

  “Alright. Well, we know that he’s alive and who has him, at least,” Maura murmured, checking another site. “Now to check our statuses…”

  She slumped back, every muscle in her body seeming to go slack at once, dragging down with exhaustion. The bounty on her head had been raised once more, returning to dead or alive status. And more, now. Rather than just being a fugitive, her arrest warrant listed charges of murder, torture, kidnapping, treason, espionage and a barrage of other, horrible things.

  Would she ever be able to clear her name after this? It seemed impossible! She wanted to do nothing more than to curl up in a ball and cry.

  “Well, it looks like they really want us dead,” Stephen murmured.

  Maura looked at his warrant. The same bounty, dead or alive, the same charges. Maybe they thought he had the same information she did? Or just that he was with her, protecting her and they didn’t want anyone to get in the way of killing her.

  “What are we going to do?” Stephen asked, his voice low, defeated.

  Neither of them was in very high spirits. Maura turned off the laptop to save the battery and turned to him. “First, we’re going to take care of ourselves. We’re going to get that bullet out of your shoulder, we’re going to eat and drink and we’re going to see if we can get the shower working to clean ourselves up.”

  “We don’t have the generator.”

  “The water reservoir is above the cabin; it uses gravity rather than electricity. They’ll be cold showers, but I saw there was still some wood in the shed; if we can have a fire going we’ll warm up quick enough. Well, I mean I will. ‘Cause you have your fires.”

  Stephen nodded once. They set to work quickly, each focusing on one task and then another. They ate first and with food in her belly and two water bottles emptied to rehydrate her, Maura’s hands were steady enough to dig the bullet out of Stephen’s shoulder. Cutting into him was a lot more difficult than she expected, not only because of the emotional parts of it and her own queasiness but because his skin and muscle were a lot more compact than she thought. It wasn’t like cutting a steak.

  By the time she had dug the bullet out, they were both pale, sweating and the scent of blood was so strong that Maura nearly threw up everything she’d managed to eat. The cold shower was welcome after that. She stripped down without thought, but Stephen hesitated before he did likewise.

  The water made her shiver, and she pressed a little closer to Stephen for warmth as she cleaned the blood from his wound. He moved away from her, and Maura fought not to feel rejected over that. It wasn’t that he didn’t want her—she could see that just as well as the tendrils of tight heat were curling into her core. But with everything else going on, he probably thought it was too much of a distraction.

  The fire roared in the stove when they got out of the shower, and Maura huddled near it. They dried up sharing a sheet from the bed, although her skin was still damp as she got dressed once more. Luckily, she’d been smart enough not to stick her head under the stream of water.

  “Stephen?”

  He grunted.

  “I’m sorry for not talking to you more, before. I know you had every right to be upset.”

  Stephen nodded, not looking at her. “And I’m sorry that I left so angrily. If I hadn’t maybe you and Evan wouldn’t have been captured.”

  “Probably not,” Maura agreed, then winced at the way that sounded. “What I mean is that we were captured because we were stupid. We left camp and when we came back, we didn’t look around, didn’t check anything. You’d never have forgotten to do that, but we did. I don’t mean it’s your fault, because it’s not.”

  Stephen turned to her, doubt in his eyes. And, despite the way he’d pulled back from her in the shower, Maura couldn’t help herself. She leaned forward, her gaze on his mouth. But before she got within an inch of his lips, he’d stood and walked back to the table.

  “I don’t think now’s the time for that,” he grunted awkwardly. “We have to keep our heads clear and with the way we were injured and you’re still on the blockers… It’s best if we conserve strength.”

  “I… yeah. That’s smart.” Maura’s cheeks turned red. “I’m sorry.”

  Stephen nodded once as he opened up the laptop and hit the power button. “So, you don’t know this, but Carter sent the governor an email saying that you no longer have the information that you were threatening him with. We have to clear that up, maybe then the death bounty can be taken off again.”

  Maura shivered, wrapping her arms around herself as she joined him. “Good idea.”

  But the laptop didn’t turn on. Stephen frowned, pressing the button again. And again. Maura picked it up, blew out the side in case it was just dust.

  Nothing.

  “Battery must be dead,” she murmured, setting it back down.

  Stephen said nothing, glaring at the laptop with clenched hands. They both sat there, staring at the machine that no longer gave them any hope. And Maura wanted to do nothing more than cry.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  They needed to get back to the road. Stephen knew that. It was just so relaxing, to have a roof over his head and Maura in his arms once more. He hadn’t planned to sleep next to her, but when he noticed her shivering so badly, of course he’d joined her under the smelly blanket and wrapped his arms around her. Her shivers ceased soon after that and they’d both slept.

  Now, the darkness outside the windows of Fort Stinky Butt was starting to lighten. His injuries had healed enough so he could fly. His shoulder wasn’t even throbbing anymore. By now, Maura would have her leopard back. They had to get out of here before anybody figured out this was where they’d gone.

  Maura stirred and sighed. “I guess since we’re both awake we should pack up and go.”

  “Yeah,” Stephen admitted reluctantly. “Probably a good idea.”

  Her hand crept over his abdomen. “Although… maybe we could delay just a few more minutes…”

  His fires flared, desire ripping through him almost violently. He hardened, even though her touch was almost innocent, her suggestion as easily a request for a little more sleep. He wanted to roll over, pin her beneath him and catch her mouth in a deep kiss. He could already feel her body, her bounteous curves, taste her on his lips, to experience that sweet nectar that was so uniquely Maura.

  He gently pulled himself away from her, angling his body away so she wouldn’t accidentally feel his erection. In the darkness, he hoped she wouldn’t see him, either, until he was able to get himself back under control.

  Even if she was fully willing for things to get sexual between them again, it didn’t mean he was. His body did not dictate what his mind did, and he wasn’t willing to throw aside all caution just because his dick was hard. He wasn’t that kind of guy, never had been. And now? Well. He knew if he did let things get too far, he’d only be angrier and more hurt when she told him that there was nothing real between them.

  Why do I have to get so fucking lost in my emotions? He moaned to himself.

  “Is something wrong?” Maura asked, stirring in her nest of blankets. The mattress, apparently, was too disgusting for her to think of sleeping on, even though Stephen had offered to move it out here, next to the fire.

  “It’s fine.”

  “Doesn’t sound fine.” Maura pushed herself up, shivering as she pulled the blanket around her shoulders. “I’m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable.”

  “It’
s not that.” It was exactly that, but he didn’t need to have this conversation right now.

  Maura suddenly gasped and scrambled to her feet. She grabbed his arm and pointed toward the window. Stephen turned but saw nothing. Maura trembled, though, pressing closer to him.

  “There’s someone out there,” she breathed.

  Stephen’s lips pulled back into a snarl. He glanced at the other windows, catching a shadow of movement outside the one in the bedroom. He gestured for Maura to stay low and crept toward the door. Outside came the noise of snuffling. He grasped the handle of the door, turning it silently.

  Another snuffling noise. Heavy footfalls moved toward the door. Stephen brought his fires forward, feeling the scales cover his skin, his wings pressing against his back. When the slight scrape of claws came on the front porch, he flung the door open and threw himself forward. A giant cat stood just outside the door and he wrapped his arm around its neck as he threw it back. His face buried in a thick mane—a lion.

  The beast let out an enraged yowl. Sharp claws skittered over his scales, and a huge mouth closed down over his shoulder—the one that had been shot. Pain lanced through his arm and down his side. Stephen howled in pain, punching the lion in the face. It didn’t release him, flinging him over and pinning him down. It pinned him there with sheer bulk, claws tearing at him while it shook him like a ragdoll.

  Stephen’s teeth clinked together as he attempted to rip himself free. He let out a burst of flame, causing the lion to recoil from him. It leapt toward the forest, but Stephen wasn’t about to let this bounty hunter get away and warn his fellows. He shifted to his dragon form, swiping the lion’s side with a huge, scaly hand. The lion went flying. It twisted mid-air, bouncing off a tree that cracked in half. It landed, its golden fur illuminated by the rapidly glowing sky.

  Stephen puffed out more flame, setting fire to a shrub several meters away to give more light. There wasn’t room for him to maneuver in the space with the trees and cabin, though. When the lion came at him again, he was too slow; it ripped into his wing, tearing the delicate membrane right off his bones.

  A howl of sheer agony ripped through him as his vision flashed white and black. The lion climbed over his back, tearing scales off. He knew how to fight a dragon. Stephen threw his body one way then the other, but the lion dug its claws in. He couldn’t risk shifting back to human form, lest the lion snap his neck.

  Another yowl, this one higher, cleaner, burst through the air. Something leapt up his side, a streak of yellow fur. Maura.

  She rammed herself into the lion, dislodging it. They tumbled to the ground, both rolling and biting and ripping at each other. The bigger lion tried to pin her down, but she slipped out from between its paws and darted between Stephen’s legs, taking refuge between his bulk. Stephen grabbed the lion and threw him over the cabin, then climbed over himself and did it again.

  After the fifth time, the lion lay there, bleeding and panting. He clawed at the ground and whimpered when Stephen reached for him again.

  “Wait,” Maura cried. She stood at the door to the cabin now, her hands clutching the door. She’d put a shirt back on. “Wait. We need to get more information. If he knows who else is coming after us—”

  “Maura?” The lion shifted back to human form, clutching an arm around his stomach as he stared at her in confusion.

  Stephen gasped, quickly shifting back himself. “Cooper!”

  Maura rushed to join them as Stephen helped the lion to his feet. He could hardly believe it. He thought Cooper, the whole of the Shadow Ops for that matter, had been arrested along with the rest of the teams. The grimace on Cooper’s face made him wince, and he quickly lifted the badly beaten, naked body into his arms. Cooper grunted, pulling slightly away, but Stephen only held him tighter.

  He carried Cooper into the cabin, where he put him on the blanket and covered him up. Cooper shivered violently. His skin was covered in cuts and bruises, old and new, and Stephen tried to push aside the pang of guilt in his stomach. He’d rarely seen Cooper in his lion form. It only made sense that with the dim light and only seeing someone sneaking around, he wouldn’t have recognized him.

  “Water,” he mumbled, leaving Cooper to Maura to start tending to his injuries. He grabbed a bottle of water that he passed to Cooper, then fired up the stove to start heating canned soup.

  “How are you even here?” Maura asked, her voice pitched higher with excitement. “You were arrested. I read the reports myself. I thought for sure that you were going to be locked away in a maximum-security prison, on blockers.”

  Cooper downed half the water, choking on it as he drank. He leaned against Maura’s hands, though whether weak or just seeking a friendly touch, Stephen didn’t know. Either way, he had to fight down the irrational jealousy that swept through him. After all, Cooper had clearly been on the run for a while. He had his orange prison jumpsuit tied around his waist and his skin was so beat up and dirty that Stephen was surprised he’d fought as well as he had.

  “I was in jail,” he murmured as Maura started to wash his cuts and bruises. “I got out. Managed to bribe one of the guards to get me an adrenaline shot from the medical wing. That, combined with some meth I was able to get from another prisoner and it shocked my system enough to repress the blockers so I could fight my way free.”

  Stephen let out a whistle. “That must have been one hell of a shock.”

  “I don’t recommend it,” Cooper groaned. “It nearly killed me. That was… oh, I think three days ago? Some bastards have been hunting me. I knew I needed to refuel, get some supplies. And I remembered when the Alpha was taken down for good, it happened here. I didn’t think many people would know where it was and I thought… if anywhere was going to have something I could use, it was here.”

  He slumped and Maura caught him. “We thought the same thing. Although we were just getting ready to go. You’re lucky you caught us when you did.”

  “Yeah. I’ll be able to get away from those hunters a lot easier on wing.” He gave a weak, dry chuckle.

  The fire was taking too long to warm the soup, so Stephen let out a low, steady stream around the can. Soon, the paper had burned off and it was bubbling. He scooped it into another container and brought it over to Cooper, who gratefully took it.

  “We can’t stay,” the lion warned as he ate greedily. “Those bounty hunters are close on my tail. We have to get away quickly.”

  “You’re in no shape to travel,” Maura warned. “How many are there?”

  “At least four.”

  Stephen flexed his muscles, his tattoos gleaming darkly as the morning light filtered into the cabin. “That’s easy. I can take care of them no problem.”

  Cooper shook his head, despair washing over his features. “Normally I’d agree with you. A dragon can take on just about anybody. But you’re bleeding, too, or haven’t you noticed? And the hunters? They’re dragons, too.”

  Stephen glanced over his shoulder. His back was slick with blood and he became aware that the pain from Cooper’s attack on him had not faded at all. He let out a low curse as he sank to the floor. Great. He was in no shape to go up against four more dragons, and his wings would be in no shape to fly. It’d take him an hour at least before he was good to go.

  He glanced up at Maura, begging her to know what they should do. Her brow furrowed as she looked between the two of them, then nodded once.

  “Here’s what we’re going to do,” she said, her voice ringing with authority. “The two of you are going to sit and rest. I’m going to pack up what we can carry and then we’re going to head out. As soon as Stephen can fly, we’re headed back to the Academy.”

  “Back there?” Cooper’s eyes widened. “Why—”

  “There are secrets you don’t know about,” Maura interrupted. “Now eat, drink and rest. We’re leaving in no later than half an hour.”

  A swell of warmth passed through Stephen as Maura set to work at once. His heart throbbed with gratitude as he sat
next to Cooper, supporting him, although the lion certainly didn’t seem to want to appear weak—he kept pulling away. They had a plan. Maura had a plan. She’d gotten him this far—and he was certain whatever her plan was, it was going to work.

  It had to.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The forest was thick with dead brush and brittle branches. Maura pushed aside some thorns, opening a path for Cooper to follow her and Stephen through. The water, food and rest had done him good, but he was nowhere near being healed enough for a trek like this. Stephen had guiltily offered to carry him, but Cooper had responded to the suggestion almost with disgust.

  Maura had to roll her eyes at that. What was with men and their insistence on appearing to be the strongest person around? It wasn’t like either of them would think less of Cooper for being carried, not in his condition, and yet he acted like it was an attack on his very masculinity.

  “So,” Cooper panted as they continued walking, “they showed the news sometimes… bounties on both of you? What did you do to earn that?”

  “I guess it’s because we managed not to get caught,” Maura replied grimly as Stephen helped her scramble over a wet, slippery log lying across the deer trail they followed. “That and we did get Evan, Adam, and Sly out of prison. We tried for Patrick but… well, it didn’t work out.”

  She grimaced as a pain shot through her gut. She had to get this taken care of soon. The food she’d eaten at Fort Stinky Butt was still sitting heavy in her stomach. The blockage was worse than she thought and would no doubt start causing damage sooner rather than later. She rubbed her gut as they continued.

  “Wow.” Cooper whistled. “But how did you keep from getting caught? I’ve had these guys on my tail for days, how are you keeping yourselves out of the hands of bounty hunters?”

  “By the skin of our teeth,” Stephen replied grimly. “It hasn’t been easy. We’ve had more than one close call. And get this. The Pack? There’s someone trying to rebuild it.”